Glory and gore go hand in hand
by lyviel
Summary: Elden Trevelyan has no idea what he is doing. He was already struggling to fill the role of Herald and now he has been named Inquisitor as well. Unfortunately he has very little time to figure it all out. Perhaps becoming a Champion will help give him the skills he needs to lead armies. Title comes from Lorde's Glory and Gore.
1. Chapter 1

Elden paced in his room restlessly. They had been at Skyhold for a while now, but it all still felt so unreal to him. Being the Herald of Andraste had been overwhelming enough, and now he was the Inquisitor as well, living in this huge room and commanding an army. He had half expected them to treat him more as a figurehead, to parade him around when necessary and use him to close Rifts but otherwise treat him as a leader in name only. Instead they came to him for advice on nearly everything. He was probably the least qualified person in Thedas to lead them, but he couldn't let them down either.

Morale in the Inquisition was low after Haven despite the precautions they had taken upon arrival in Skyhold. Elden couldn't blame any of them; he himself often found his sleep interrupted by nightmares. As the Inquisitor, though, he felt he had a responsibility to do more. Vivienne had spoken to him about his new title shortly after their arrival and while he didn't completely agreed with everything she said, he knew she was right overall. He had to become someone they could look to and respect, a leader they could have faith in.

He rubbed his hands together. They were red and blistered, raw from all of the extra training he had been doing lately. His hands had always been too soft no matter how hard he worked, and he hated it. Haven was the first time he had held a sword in years, but he had trained hard there and he thought he was finally getting used to it again. Apparently it hadn't been enough. He took a deep breath and made up his mind. If he became a Champion, perhaps he could become what he needed to be in order to inspire, to give everyone hope that maybe they really could win despite everything. It would be a small victory for everyone to celebrate, even if it didn't get them any closer to defeating the true threat. Elden took another breath and went to accept Lord Chancer's offer to train him.

* * *

That was that, then. Elden was on track to become a Champion. Apparently there were three other Champions in the Exalted Planes he could challenge, so after marking several likely locations on his map, he headed off to select his team. Cassandra and Varric had been eager to accompany him, so now he just had to check with Dorian and see if he would be willing to lend a hand. He found Dorian in his usual spot in the library but before he could say anything Dorian spoke, catching Elden completely off guard.

"I could watch you roam Skyhold all day," Dorian said with a smile. "Here and there you run, checking in on your followers. Why don't they come to you, feed you grapes, rub your shoulders? I suppose it's more fun this way. For me, I mean. You're rather strapping."

What? Oh! Yes, flirting! He could do that! Elden turned a bit red. He was pleasantly surprised by this sudden turn of events and definitely flattered. It was true that they had become friends after everything they had been through together, but Elden hadn't even dared think that Dorian might actually be interested in him. Of course, it had been quite some time since Elden last felt the desire to do something like this and he was a bit at a loss. He desperately tried to think of something to say, preferably something witty and intelligent. He failed.

"I've noticed you're rather strapping yourself."

He was probably turning even redder now, and Dorian grinned, apparently enjoying this.

"Yes, but that only takes eyes," Dorian replied smoothly.

That was certainly true. Without thinking Elden said, "Luckily I have those." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he cringed inwardly, no doubt turning even redder if that was possible, but Dorian chuckled and suddenly Elden didn't feel so bad. Dorian had a very nice laugh.

"You do; a very fetching pair, I might add." Dorian smiled at him, but mercifully moved on. "But you didn't come by to listen to me fawn. What can I do for you?"

It took Elden a moment to remember what he had come here for. "I am planning an expedition to the Exalted Planes and was wondering if you would be willing to accompany me."

"Of course. Who are we to kill there?"

"Hopefully it won't come to that. If I'm to become a Champion, I have to defeat three others in order to gain some renown."

"Are you bringing me to witness your prowess in battle, Inquisitor?" Dorian asked, grinning. "I should have known you were a romantic."

To Dorian's obvious delight, Elden turned bright red again. "That…wasn't exactly why I asked you to come."

"Oh? Do tell."

"You carry yourself well, on the battlefield and off. You never seem rattled. I was hoping you could give me some advice on my fighting style."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Inquisitor. I would, of course, be happy to help you in any way I am able," Dorian said with a slight bow of his head.

"Thank you, Dorian," Elden said, rather relieved knowing he would be there to help him.

After saying his goodbyes, he headed to Vivienne's balcony. She had given him advice before; hopefully she would have some insight to offer him in regards to his chosen specialization.

"So you've decided to become a Champion, my dear?" she asked as he approached. "I approve. We can use this to our advantage. You always did have a tendency to lead from the front."

"Thank you, Madame Vivienne. If you have a moment, that was actually what I wanted to speak to you about."

"Of course, my dear."

Vivienne had quite a few suggestions for him, from the type of armor that would give the right impression (flashy and eye-catching, of course) to how he should carry himself when in the public eye. She also agreed with Lord Chancer's recommendation that Elden cease training with the soldiers. Elden wasn't sure what he thought about any of this. Chancer had talked about the glory and fame becoming a Champion would bring him, and he didn't want any of that. What if this was a mistake? His concern must have shown on his face because Vivienne stopped and reached out, touching his arm in a reassuring manner.

"This is ultimately up to you, my dear," she said. "You are wise to utilize us for our expertise, but it is up to you to decide what to do with this information. You will have our support regardless."

* * *

Elden's head was spinning as he left the keep. There was just so much to consider and he honestly wasn't sure he could live up to what the title of Champion meant, let alone Inquisitor. Of course he could adapt it, make it into a role he was more comfortable with, but what would happen if it wasn't enough? What if he just made it more painfully obvious that he wasn't cut out for this? He had tried to make something of his life before, struggling to adapt the role his parents tried to force him into so it was something he could live with, but that had failed utterly. He couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for the Inquisition to send him away too. Elden fiddled with his gloves, wincing slightly as the rough leather scraped against the raw skin of his palms. Perhaps there was time to get more sword practice in before he got back to work. That usually helped him clear his head.

Sera caught his eye from a dark corner behind the tavern, so he changed course and headed her way. She led him into the ruined shell of a building that had yet to be repaired and turned around with an excited grin.

"What's going on?" Elden asked, a little apprehensive. She definitely had a plan, and with Sera, that could end with explosions, missing pants, or anything in between.

"You, me, pranking again," she said with a mischievous grin that made Elden glad he wasn't the target. "I've got a great one in the works."

"I'm sorry, Sera, I can't today. I'll be leaving in the morning and I've got a lot to do before then. How about when I get back?"

"Oh no you don't," she said, poking him in the shoulder. "I've seen you trainin' day and night. You're gonna start looking like a perpetually startled nug. What you need is a good ol' prank. I told you I'd get you with a pie, didn't I? Take a break or I might still do that."

"Oh," he said, crestfallen. "Do I really look that worn down?"

"Nah, only when you think no one's looking, but every little bit helps people remember their Inquisitor's actually human. You usually look all intimidating."

"Intimidating?" he asked skeptically.

"When you're doing your commanding thingy, sure. Now let's go!"

Elden grimaced. "While I appreciate the thought, I should really get back."

"And what, may I ask, are the two of you doing skulking in the shadows?" Dorian asked as he rounded the corner, stepping over bits of broken wall and taking them both by surprise.

"Shite, how did you find us?" Sera yelped.

"You may be stealthy, but our Lord Inquisitor lacks the grace required," Dorian said with a grin. "So what's the scheme?"

"Nothin'," she said, sounding incredibly suspicious.

"Let me guess; being difficult as usual, is he?" Dorian asked. Then, to Elden he said, "If anyone's earned a break, it's certainly you."

"Does everyone think I look like a startled nug?" Elden asked incredulously.

Dorian tilted his head in exaggerated thought. "Pretty apt description, actually, if a tad incomplete."

"Yeah?" Sera said. "What would you add, fancypants?"

"I'd say he looks a bit more like a sad puppy most of the time."

"If both of you are quite done," Elden interrupted, "I should be going."

"Oh come now, we're only teasing," Dorian said, reaching out to stop him from leaving. "Well, I am, at any rate. I suppose I shouldn't speak for Sera."

"Look, I have a lot I need to do before we leave tomorrow," Elden said. "If I'm going to become a Champion, I need to—"

"A _Champion_?" Sera spat suddenly, taking him completely by surprise. "You are such an arse. Forget it, I'll be watching you." She stalked off, muttering under her breath, "This'll take more than a pie to fix."

Elden was too stunned to say anything as he watched her go. He felt queasy. Maybe he had made the wrong decision. He hadn't thought anyone would be opposed to his choice, certainly not angry. Who else would be as upset as Sera obviously was?

"Don't worry about her," Dorian said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "She'll come around."

Elden shook himself. He couldn't afford to second-guess himself, and he certainly couldn't let his worry show. Apparently he needed to work on both of those things. "Of course, thank you," he said, turning to Dorian with a smile that he hoped looked less strained than it felt. "I'll be all right. I'm just trying to get used to this Inquisitor thing."

Something—disappointment? Concern?—flashed across Dorian's face, so swiftly Elden wondered if he'd imagined it. "Well," the mage said lightly, "if you ever want to talk, you know where I'll be."

"Thanks," Elden said, smiling again. He appreciated it, he really did. There was enough to worry about without him adding to it, however. "We'll be leaving first thing tomorrow," he said instead. "Are you still willing to go?"

Dorian grinned. "Wouldn't miss it."

* * *

Elden had a lot to do before leaving. He spent the rest of the day greeting visiting nobles, checking equipment and supplies, reviewing construction plans for Skyhold, and finally ended the evening in the war room with the advisors. They were sending Inquisition soldiers out to search for survivors and look for rifts Elden might have missed near the Hinterlands, and Elden always hated this part. He wasn't very good at strategizing. He knew it needed to be done, but he always second guessed himself and tried desperately to find the safest route. If they were to search effectively they needed to cover the widest area possible, but that would leave them isolated if they were attacked. Eventually he and his advisors found a compromise between effectiveness and safety, but Elden still felt sick. He was reminded once again why he hadn't pursued a military career. He was grateful for his advisors and he knew he could rely on them, but ultimately the decision was his and he doubted he would ever get used to that.

Elden had hoped to talk to Sera at some point today, but now it was much too late. Obviously she didn't want him to become a Champion, and he didn't know why. Would others feel the same? Vivienne and the other nobles had approved, but what about people like Sera?

He had thought becoming a Champion would be the best way to protect others on the battlefield. He was decent with a sword and shield but his real skill lay in how much punishment he could take. If he could hold the tide at bay while the others did the real work, that was fine with him. But it worried him how much Sera seemed to hate Champions. He had seen the way mages looked at templars. If he was feared, he wasn't sure how much good he could do.

And Maker damn it, he didn't _want_ to be feared.

He slept uneasily. The next morning he took a few minutes he really couldn't spare to try to find Sera, hoping he could at least speak with her briefly before he left, but she was nowhere to be found. That, among many other things, would have to wait until he returned. With a sigh, he headed out with his companions.


	2. Chapter 2

The Exalted Planes. Of course their little expedition would take them to such a place, a war-torn landscape with a bloody history. It seemed to have a bloody present as well, since there were burned-out buildings on the horizon and demons all over. All in all, a wonderful diversion from the usual death and destruction. When compared to darkspawn magisters and apocalyptic futures, Dorian supposed it was technically an improvement.

The Inquisitor had a habit of rushing off into battle before anyone could even react and as they approached the ramparts Elden did just that, hurrying away to assist a lone soldier battling a group of undead. Elden was surprisingly swift in all that armor, Dorian had to give him that, but as he stood back to give support, he at least had a good opportunity to admire Elden's particular fighting style as requested. (All right, he hadn't actually asked for Dorian's admiration, but that was neither here nor there.) There hadn't been much of an opportunity when they first fought together, what with the apocalypse and all of the demons and magisters. After that, well, it had mostly just been more not-dying at Haven.

Elden didn't waste any movements on the battlefield. He was precise and controlled, and he lacked the flourishes Dorian preferred to implement as much for distraction as show. There was no denying Elden's effectiveness, however. Dorian was of the opinion that the warrior was a little too eager to throw himself in harm's way, to fill the role of Champion. It certainly inspired confidence in all those who followed him, but the attitude was reckless, and as a strategy it left much to be desired. Good thing Dorian was there to back him up.

Once the threat was taken care of, the lone Orlesian solder didn't have any real information for them, so they left him at the gates and pushed farther into the overrun ramparts.

Dorian wasn't particularly bothered by the undead, perhaps in part because his abilities gave him an edge over them, but Elden appeared to be a little shaken. None of the others appeared to be in a particularly chatty mood either, so Dorian decided it would be best to keep his mouth shut.

Things were going quite well until they found the pit of corpses and the Arcane Horror. The demon seemed to appear out of nowhere, unleashing a barrage that nearly knocked them off their feet. As usual, Elden plowed forward to challenge it as corpses began to rise all around him. The Arcane Horror loosed a wave of magical energy and Dorian dropped his own barrier in order to throw one up around the Inquisitor and Cassandra who was close on his heels. Unfortunately this left Dorian rather more vulnerable than he liked. He expertly dodged an undead stumbling toward him and turned to aid the others. He froze a group converging on Varric, giving him ample time to jump clear and unleash a flurry of bolts. Dorian then launched a fireball at a group near Cassandra, knocking them off balance so she could tear into them, practically shattering them with an expert blow with her shield.

But no matter how good they were, no matter how many they knocked down, more kept coming. If this continued much longer they would be overrun. Dorian pushed himself to cast faster, reaching deep for everything he had. If he kept this speed he was going to burn himself out but he couldn't stop, he had to push harder, to protect these people, his _friends._

Something grabbed his foot and he stumbled to a halt. Looking down he realized a group of corpses he thought had already been killed – rekilled? – were in fact scrambling to their feet. Dorian was surrounded. He employed his staff, bludgeoning any that got too close, and attempted to clear a path with fire while slowing them down with ice, but there were too many. One caught him a nasty blow across his back and he staggered, pain ripping through him like fire. He couldn't go down, he had to keep fighting. The others would be overwhelmed, he had to—

The undead suddenly went flying, and he jerked in surprise as Elden smashed his way to Dorian's side. Of course Elden's jaw always had that particular determined set to it when he was defending others, but it was different now. This man was fighting to protect him with a fierce determination Dorian. No one had ever rushed to his aid with such honest desperation, and he knew with sudden sharp clarity that if there was anyone in his life he could fully trust, it was this man.

Elden reached a hand out to Dorian and he took it without hesitation. Elden looked relieved as he hauled him up and as soon as he was on his feet they were back in the fray, ripping apart undead, fighting side by side in time with one another as if they had been made to do this. Dorian couldn't help but flash Elden a grin, exhilarated despite his close call. They fought perfectly together, decimating all who stood before them, and he felt like he could stand against anything with this man at his side. Varric and Cassandra regrouped around them and they pushed back hard until they reached the Arcane Horror, which they dispatched in surprisingly short order.

"Is everyone all right?" Elden asked, turning to them all as the last of the corpses fell. His eyes lingered on Dorian's for a moment longer than the rest, but there was more than concern in his eyes. A sheepish smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and Dorian grinned back, unabashed.

"You all right, Sparkler?" Varric asked. "You took a pretty hard blow earlier."

"It was nothing at all," Dorian said dismissively. He had almost forgotten in all of the excitement, the pain receding thanks to the adrenaline. It was just a dull ache now, but he accepted the potion Elden passed to him. It was no doubt spreading into a nasty bruise across his back and he couldn't afford the soreness that it would cause tomorrow.

They weren't done yet, however. There was another Arcane Horror to deal with as well as another pit filled with bodies, which was concerning, but they managed it all with relative ease now that they knew what to expect. Once Elden decided the ramparts were safe and habitable again for the Orlesian soldiers, they returned to the lone guard they had left at the entrance to give him the news. Unwilling to risk getting the Inquisition involved in the civil war and wanting to make a bit more progress before the sun set, the four of them headed out immediately after.


	3. Chapter 3

When they finally stopped to make camp, practice allowed them to do so quickly. As Elden finished setting up one of the tents, he couldn't help but stop to watch his friends as they all finished up the last of their own tasks. Cassandra was already scouting the perimeter while Varric tended the fire and began preparing their dinner. Dorian was just stepping back from a tent he had been assembling, a pleased grin on his face as he brushed off his hands and admired his handiwork. Elden couldn't help smiling as he watched him. Despite his evident dislike of such activities, Dorian was really doing well at the whole camping thing and he was proud of him.. There was still plenty to do, however, so Elden turned and went to join Cassandra.

* * *

Elden loved sitting around the campfire, doing nothing more than talking and eating. Today he was rather quiet, content to simply listen as they all told stories. The respite ended all too soon and they turned in, Cassandra staying outside to take first watch. It seemed sleep was determined to elude Elden, however. He kept thinking over what happened with Sera, wondering if this had all been a mistake. Then, of course, there was what had nearly happened to Dorian. Elden knew that he had to become a Champion, particularly if he could use those abilities to prevent anything like that from happening again. He had been so terrified when he saw him go down. But what sort of consequences should he expect?

This line of thinking wasn't particularly helpful, and there was no way he would be sleeping any time soon. He crawled out of the tent, nodding to Cassandra as she patrolled. He moved a ways away from the fire and faced out into the darkness, closing his eyes and enjoying the cool night air, just trying not to think of anything. Cassandra came to sit beside him a short time later.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, staring off into the darkness as well.

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for a time. He could tell she wanted to say more but lacked the words. Finally she spoke. "If you'd like, we can switch watches if you plan to be up for a while."

"Oh, sure, thank you."

"Of course." She stood and hesitated for a moment. "You'll do fine," she said. "You are a natural."

Left alone with his thoughts, Elden tried to occupy his mind by simply scanning the surroundings for danger. More time than he realized had gone by as he heard someone stir within one of the tents. From the muttering and fussing it had to be Dorian. Elden couldn't help but smile as the mage shuffled around, half awake and therefore noisier than usual, before trudging over to him and dropping down beside him.

"You know," Dorian began, and Elden couldn't help noticing that he had his blanket wrapped around him like a robe. "I believe my watch should have started by now."

"I'm not feeling very tired. I thought I'd stay up a bit longer."

Dorian shivered and pulled the blanket more tightly around himself as he watched a smoldering building in the distance. "Well, I guess I can't say you never take me anywhere nice," he joked.

Elden chuckled. They sat in silence for a time, just enjoying each other's company.

"This bout of sleeplessness isn't caused by anything specific, is it?" Dorian finally asked. "How are you feeling about tomorrow's battle? Assuming we can find these Champions, of course."

"I'm trying not to think about it, to be honest," Elden confided. "Did you know I used to do this sort of thing often?"

"Do tell." Dorian turned slightly to give Elden his full attention, and Elden realized just how rare it was for him to talk about his past. He cleared his throat rather awkwardly and continued to stare out into the night.

"Well, not this exactly," Elden said. "I participated in the Grand Tourney in my younger days. I never won anything so it wasn't like anyone knew me by name, but it was fun. Well. The stakes are quite a bit higher now, though, so it's a bit intimidating." _Very intimidating,_ he amended to himself.

"Yes, well, the beauty of traipsing all the way out to this blighted place is that there's no one around to witness it if you fall on your face. Not that I think you're going to fall on your face, although it is a lovely mental image."

"But what does happen if I fail?" Elden turned to look at him, finally voicing aloud the thoughts that were plaguing him. "What if I'm defeated? It isn't just my reputation at stake anymore."

"Anyone able to best you, I say we recruit on the spot," Dorian said with a smile. "Then I suppose we just find someone else to challenge. Your trainer said you only need defeat three, correct? Although I suspect that was just an arbitrary number. But really, if an archdemon and a mountain both dropping on your head couldn't keep you down, I seriously doubt you have anything to worry about from a few barbarians with swords. No offense, of course."

Elden turned back to the dark landscape before him. He felt uncomfortable, all too aware of his own shortcomings. Luck had played a large part in everything that had happened to him, but he doubted anyone would accept that. Perhaps they needed to believe otherwise. Although he had to admit that his main selling point on the battlefield was his ability to take a hit and keep going. Hopefully it would be enough tomorrow.

"Do you still want an assessment on your combat abilities?" Dorian asked, interrupting the silence.

"Please."

"You handle yourself well. I'm not surprised to hear you've done this before. Really, with the way you throw yourself into the fray, they will probably surrender the moment they see a big oaf like you charging towards them. Now, tell me honestly, Inquisitor. Did you bring Varric here so that he could document your glorious victory?"

"That was definitely not my intention," Elden said with an awkward chuckle.

"No? Well, you should consider the idea. I'm sure he could give your exploits an appropriately lurid treatment." Elden snorted, and Dorian grinned at him, no doubt pleased he had succeeded in lightening the mood. They sat in easy silence for a time before Elden eventually retired, thinking that perhaps he would be able to sleep a little after all.


End file.
